For Susan Omand’s annual Scottish take-over this year, get ready to swing your sporrans with our answer to Strictly Come Dancing and learn some proper ceilidh dances...If you’re of a certain age and went to a Scottish primary school, you will remember the trauma of gym class in the run up to the Christmas holidays... learning Scottish Country Dancing! However, they are lessons that have stood us all in good stead at Hogmanay parties, weddings and ceilidhs over the years so, for this week, I want to help everyone get ready for your own Hogmanay ceilidh and not look stupid on the dance floor by practising now with five of the most famous Scottish Country Dances. Today is...

The Gay Gordons.

Don't worry, you will get your hand hold in a fankle (tech term) for a while until you get used to who turns which way.

Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.

** Setting is also called Pas de basque. Step with the right foot, step on the ball of the left foot beside the right foot, lifting the right foot. Put the right foot down and point the left toe. Repeat to the left. To be honest, most blokes just stand.

***Ballroom hold – this one.

**** Polka isn't as difficult as it sounds. Step to the right with the right foot. Bring the left foot to the right foot. Step to the right with the right foot again. Hop on the right foot. Then do it all to the left, step, together, step, hop on the left foot.